The present invention relates to a textile yarn processing apparatus, such as a spinning plant, for the continuous production of a plurality of synthetic filament yarns.
DE OS 29 39 675 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,187 disclose a package doffing device for such a spinning installation, in which a yarn servicing carriage moves in the service aisle from one winding machine to another. The yarn servicing carriage is operatively linked with a package doffing carriage. To do so, at each contacted and serviced winding machine, the full packages are removed from the winding spindle and transferred to the package doffing carriage, which then delivers the packages to a package transport device. The package transport device receives a plurality of packages, which it then transports to a control station for the individual packages. Thereafter, the full packages having been found to be satisfactory, advance to a packing station.
The above described installation is subject to a rigid time sequence in the production of full packages, since ultimately the time intervals necessary for refilling the package transport devices determine the production speed. A lengthening of the time intervals can be realized only by enlarging the package transport devices or by increasing their number. However, in view of the number of full packages to be received, limits are set to the first of the two measures due the high package weights which are presently being produced, since otherwise it would no longer be possible to handle the package transport devices. The second of the two measures necessitates an increased floor space requirement.
As used in the present application, a doffer is understood to be an apparatus traveling along a machine front from winding machine to winding machine, which doffs the produced full packages at the end of a winding cycle. This doffing operation includes the removal of full packages from each serviced winding spindle and the transfer of these full packages to a transport carriage for further transportation.
The time of removing the produced full packages is monitored by the doffer, it being useful that the doffer also requests the respectively needed number of empty tubes.
In one embodiment, the doffer is additionally designed to furnish the just-serviced winding spindle with new empty tubes after removing and transferring the full packages, so that the takeup machine is able to continue its winding operation. Such a doffer is known, for example, from DE AS 24 49 415. In the case of this doffer, the required number of needed empty tubes is continuously furnished by means of a conveyor chain passing by the doffer.
Also known from DE OS 21 28 974, is a package doffing carriage which replaces full packages with empty tubes. In this embodiment, the empty tubes are carried along on the package doffing carriage and transferred to the winding spindle of the takeup machine by means of two gripping arms.
DE OS 21 23 689 also discloses a traveling package doffer, which delivers the full packages to a traveling package transport device. Subsequently, the package transport device is moved to a control station, where the individual full packages are subjected either individually or randomly to a quality check, and then continue to a packing station.
In light of this prior art, it is the object of the present invention to improve a yarn processing apparatus, such as a spinning plant for the uninterrupted production of a plurality of synthetic filament yarns, so that it becomes independent of possible breakdowns in the fully automatic doffer system.
It is another object of the invention to provide such an apparatus with a small floor space requirement.